Bob's Recent Reading List
The
titles below, related to both business and spiritual growth, are recent reads that have
really spoken directly to my heart and spirit as well as
having a positive impact from a career perspective. I pass these titles along
to you in hopes that you to will experience the challenge, benefit
and rewards of
these great books.
Featured
books :
The Anatomy of Peace
The
Anatomy of Peace helps people to see in a different way, to
see problems differently, conflicts differently, challenges
differently, opportunities differently, each other
differently. I know of no tool or way of thinking that
contributes so masterfully to real, lasting peace in
families, organizations, communities, and nations.
The Art of Keeping Secrets
I'm opinionated - she's my niece! Number #5 and her best
yet. It was actually the first book she wrote, but just made
it to press. "This beautifully written story starts with an
intriguing premise that immediately grabs the reader's
interest. Henry uses universal concepts such as belief and
faith to delve into the difficult question of how well we
really know anyone, even those closest to us. Once again,
the setting is the visually vivid South, with characters you
quickly come to care about. This is an emotionally wrenching
but ultimately healing tale.” -Romantic Times, 4 ˝
stars,
Simplexity
As
simplexity moves from the research lab into popular
consciousness it will challenge our models for modern
living. Jeffrey Kluger adeptly translates newly evolving
theory into a delightful theory of everything that will have
you rethinking the rules of business, family, art—your
world.
High Performance Ethics
Do you have to lower your ethical standards in order to succeed at your job? High-Performance Ethics authors Wes Cantrell and James Lucas say that the answer is no. The authors outline ways to make ethical decisions (based on the Ten Commandments) that lead to highly successful business practices. High-Performance Ethics includes tips on how to lead a team with integrity, practical tools for resisting the pressure to compromise workplace standards, and encouragement for workers who want to see strong businesses--and strong values--thrive.
Between the Tides
The scene of a childhood tragedy that forced her family to
move, Seaboro, South Carolina, is the last place Catherine
Leary wants to see again. But her father's last wish to have
his ashes scattered there, and his young colleague's desire
to write an article about him, conspire against Catherine.
Hoping to stop her family's secrets from being exposed, she
travels to her once-beloved Lowcountry town-and embarks on a
poignant trip into the past...a journey that might lead her
into a new life of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery.
The Secret Message of Jesus
Brian McLaren is a fresh voice, a welcome antidote to the
staleness, superficiality, and negativity of the religious
status quo. A wide array of people from Evangelical,
Catholic, and Mainline Protestant backgrounds claim that
through his books they have begun to rediscover the faith
they'd lost or rejected. And around the world, many readers
say that he has helped them find-for the first time in their
lives-a faith that makes sense and rings true. For many, he
articulates the promise of what is being called "emerging
Christianity.
Broaden the Vision and Narrow the Focus
“Consultant Lucas notes that paradox is a constant in the
world of business. Strong leaders should also be virtually
invisible. Departments should be structured and efficient
but also flexible and creative. However, he also points out
that paradox provides only an apparent contradiction, and
that through practice and discernment business leaders can
embrace paradox as a powerful and practical method of
influencing and progressing. He gives twenty "power
paradoxes" to explore and experience, including paradoxes in
leadership, culture, talent and strategy, such as spreading
both optimism and the ugly truth, focusing on and ignoring
results, creating and expecting passion, increasing pressure
and reducing stress, encouraging both cooperation and
conflict, and moving faster while taking more time. He
concludes with advice on applying the principles to create
lasting impact and widespread wealth.”–Reference &
Research Book News.
9 Things You Simply Must Do
The principles of success - can they be reduced
to 9 steps? For me - these are very close! Those of you who
have always valued "success", not necessarily monetary
success - but success in living a life of satisfaction and
fulfillment, will recognize these 9 principles. Maybe you
haven't been able to put them all together yet, but you can
now with Dr Clouds thoughtful insight and research, This
title can't help but challenge you to exercise these common
sense, yet powerful truths.
The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers
He didn't preach it, he lived it - The Simple
Faith of Mister Rogers is about a man who, to paraphrase the
words of St. Francis of Assisi, "preached the gospel at all
times; when necessary, he used words."
Since 1963 when "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"
first aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Network, Fred
Rodgers pursued his mission and his passion until the last
program aired in 2001. It was PBS's longest running program
ever. Here is an intimate portrait of the real Mister
Rogers. The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers focuses on his
spiritual legacy, but it is much more than that. A great
inspirational insight into living the life.
Fatal Illusion
The biggest challenge facing the Christian
products industry
today is not necessarily Wal-Marts, big boxes or margins. It is
our own corporate unwillingness to face the truth and then take the
necessary (and often uncomfortable or painful) steps in a new
and more fruitful direction. We can fall for the popular lie
that perception is reality, but only reality is reality. The
degree to which our perceptions, both personal and
organizational, align with reality, the more successful we
will be.
This is a must read for suppliers and retailers in
the Christian products industry as we struggle with the necessity and
trauma of a changing landscape in our industry.
The Connecting Church
Frustrated with cell groups and small home
church groups that don't really seem to work?
So was the author pastor. This read addresses why and provides
solid answers. Drawing on biblical models as well as
sociological research and urban planning principles, Frazee
makes a strong case that the mobility and privacy of "American
Dream" suburbia fosters a spirit of fragmentation and
isolation that is unworkable as a basis for authentic
community.
The Purpose Driven Life
WOW, is all I can say! I doubt if I will
stop reading this book over the next several years. It's
theology 101, relationships 101, evangelism and more - all
wrapped into one significant title. Designed to be read over a
40 day period, I am going back over it a chapter a week to dig
into the richness of the simplicity presented in this soon to
be a classic book. Modern translations (Message etc) scripture
references are used to
drive home the truths and foundations of the Bible.
Wild at Heart
If Christian men are going to change from a
pitiful, wimpy bunch of "really nice guys" to men who are made
in the image of God, they must reexamine their preconceptions
about who God is and recover their true "wild" hearts, writes
bestselling author John Eldredge in Wild at Heart: Discovering
a Life of Passion, Freedom, and Adventure. Eldredge throws
down the gauntlet--men are bored; they fear risk, they refuse
to pay attention to their deepest desires. He challenges
Christian men to return to authentic masculinity without
resorting to a "macho man" mentality.
Good to Great
Five years ago, Jim Collins asked the question,
"Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?" In
Good to Great Collins, the author of Built to Last, concludes
that it is possible, but finds there are no silver bullets.
Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by
sorting through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those
that made substantial improvements in their performance over
time. They finally settled on 11--including Fannie Mae,
Gillette, Walgreen's, and Wells Fargo--and discovered common
traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of
corporate success.
Out of the
Shadows
When he's hot, no one can craft a good
Christian suspense novel like this prolific bestselling
author, and readers will be delighted to find him in top form
here. From the opening pages, Brouwer spins a riveting tale of
intrigue and deceit set against the contemporary backdrop of
wealthy Charleston. Nicholas Barrett is abandoned by the women
he loves the most: first by his mother, who deserts him as a
child, and later by his wife of only four days. Crippled in an
accident that costs him everything he holds dear, Nick returns
from global wanderings years later determined to discover the
shattering truth about his past and to extract revenge. He
doesn't expect to find God. Strong themes about toxic family
secrets and the power of forgiveness frame the plot, and
Brouwer's vivid imagery is fresh and engaging
Leadership & Self
Deception
(an amazon review) - Profound! Just what I have
always looked for in a "leadership" book but could never find.
I am so impressed by the fact that it is not the typical
'business-acting tips' or 'looking busy and productive 101'
book. As I read it, I realized just how far-reaching and
powerful these concepts truly are. No part of my life has been
untouched; everywhere I turn I can see how this book applies
and, most importantly, makes a difference.
My comments (Bob) - this book changed how I
work with people - both business and personal.
Walk On: The
Spiritual Journey of U2
From the group's beginnings at the Shalom
Christian fellowship in Dublin all the way through their
seeming rebirth on their most recent album, the book brings to
light the struggles and triumphs of the band members'
Christian faith. How have they kept it so vibrant in the harsh
light of the world stage? Have they found what they're looking
for? Why has the Church shunned them? Join author Steve
Stockman in pouring over more than twenty years of interviews,
analysis and insight in an unparalleled quest to answer the
burning questions everyone wants to know. No RP (religious
poop) here!
The Resurrection
File
John Grisham fans will love this author! A
great read.
The Essence of the
Church
Fellow associate and friend Craig Van Gelder has written an extremely important and profoundly
insightful book about the church. He has an excellent
understanding of North American Christianity and the cultural
temptations which have shaped the current models for church.
He lays out a foundation for the church as a Christ-centered
missional community. This book is rich in theology and
philosophy and leads the reader to very practical conclusions
about how we might "do church" differently. This is not a
step-by-step method for the average church to apply to its
existing programs. In fact it raises paradigm-shifting
questions that speak to very foundational issues regarding the
nature and purpose of the Body of Christ
Bob Steele
Senior Consultant
Tel: 615-599-7611
Fax: 615-599-7612
The
Secret Message of Jesus
The
Resurrection File